Rugby Players Ireland

Rugby Players Ireland
Rugby Players Ireland
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Founded	2001; 25 years ago
Headquarters	Clonskeagh, Dublin
Location	Ireland;
Key people	Rob Kearney (Chairman)
Website	www.rugbyplayersireland.ie

The Rugby Players Ireland is the representative body for professional rugby players in Ireland. Founded in October 2001, its aims are to promote and protect the welfare of professional rugby players in Ireland.^[1]^[2] The Chief Executive Officer is Simon Keogh and Rob Kearney is its current chairman.^[3] Its headquarters are in Clonskeagh in Dublin.

Objectives

The associations objectives are:-

To promote and protect the welfare of its members, both during and after their careers.
To cater for the educational and welfare needs of its members, to ensure that they have sufficient preparation for the life after rugby.
To work in partnership with the IRFU to further the cause of Rugby Union in Ireland.
To be the representative mouthpiece for professional rugby players on issues of importance to the game.^[4]

Services

Rugby Players Ireland provides a Player Development Manager (PDM). The five pillars of Rugby Players Ireland's Player Development Programme are 1) Education, Training & Skills, 2) Social Engagement, 3) Financial Management & Planning, 4) Player Wellbeing and 5) Career Advice & Guidance. Each PDM works closely with the players on an individual level to prepare them for the transition to life after professional rugby.^[2]

The association also acts as a negotiator between players and their employer. They are involved with negotiating group contracts in areas such as match and win bonuses and act as a go-between in the event of disputes. In 2018, the remit of Rugby Players Ireland was extended to include the Irish 7s programme in addition to international women's players.^[5] This includes bringing industrial action if necessary.^[6]

History

In October 2001 Ireland's professional rugby players set up the Irish Rugby Union Players' Association. Over 95% of all players with a contract with the IRFU joined the new body. Liam Toland and Peter McKenna were appointed Chairman and Secretary.^[4]

In 2003, the members of the association realised the need for a full-time employee and former Ireland International Niall Woods was appointed the first full-time Chief Executive Officer.^[4]

On 12 April 2017, the organization changed its name from the Irish Rugby Union Players Association (IRUPA) to Rugby Players Ireland.^[7]

Awards

File:Tommy Bowe.jpg

2008 and 2010 IRUPA Players player of the year; Tommy Bowe

Rugby Players Ireland has run the annual Rugby Players Ireland Awards dinner from 2002 which gives recognition to rugby players in a number of categories. The awards dinner is run to support the Rugby Players Ireland Foundation.^[8] The most prestigious award is the Players' Player of the Year award which is voted for by playing members of Rugby Players Ireland.

Players' Player of the Year winners

Year	Player	Team
2003	Malcolm O'Kelly	Leinster^[9]
2004	Gordon D'Arcy	Leinster^[10]
2005	Johnny O'Connor	London Wasps^[11]
2006	Paul O'Connell	Munster^[12]
2007	Gordon D'Arcy	Leinster^[13]
2008	Tommy Bowe	Ulster^[14]
2009	Brian O'Driscoll	Leinster^[15]
2010	Tommy Bowe ^*	Ospreys^[14]
2011	Isa Nacewa	Leinster^[16]
2012	Rob Kearney	Leinster^[17]
2013	Nick Williams	Ulster^[17]
2014	Andrew Trimble	Ulster^[17]
2015	Paul O'Connell	Munster^[18]
2016	CJ Stander	Munster^[19]
2017	Conor Murray	Munster^[20]
2018	Keith Earls	Munster^[21]
2019	James Ryan	Leinster^[22]
2020	Garry Ringrose	Leinster^[23]
2021	Robbie Henshaw	Leinster^[24]
2022	Josh van der Flier	Leinster^[25]
2023	Caelan Doris	Leinster^[26]

* Tommy Bowe was also awarded the 2010 WRPA Players' Player of the Year Award.^[27]

Other awards

Other awards include the Young Player of the Year award, Try of the Year and the Unsung Hero as well as the Hall of Fame.

List of Hall of Fame inductees

The Rugby Players Ireland Hall of Fame includes the following members:^[28]

Year	Inductee(s)
2003	Mick Galwey, Peter Clohessy
2004	Keith Wood, Paddy Johns
2005	Eric Elwood
2006	Jeremy Davidson
2007	Victor Costello
2008	David Humphreys
2009	Anthony Foley
2010	Girvan Dempsey
2011	Malcolm O'Kelly
2012	John Hayes
2013	Denis Hickie
2014	Simon Best
2015	David Wallace
2016	Ronan O'Gara
2017	Geordan Murphy
2018	Brian O'Driscoll
2019	Conor O'Shea
2020	Gordon D'Arcy
2021	Not Awarded
2022	Tommy Bowe & Fiona Coghlan
2023	Shane Horgan & Alison Miller